


Senshi Bonding 101 aka Why Usagi’s Not Allowed To Choose Bonding Exercises

by WavesOver



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: #sailor moon secret santa 2020, 2 truths and a lie, Almost too sweet, Ami-teasing, Gen, Makeup tournament, Minako gets 1 win over the rest of the Senshi, Pluto bribes gods with Mako cookies, References to Other Series, Sailor Moon Secret Santa 2020, Usagi fucks with destiny because she doesn't like the preordanded ending, Usagi is both powerful and sweet, but despite everything not all important things happen to Usagi and her friends, just one, sailor moon gift exchange 2020, sleepover, they accept and favor Mako quite well, they don't interact with them at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28168101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WavesOver/pseuds/WavesOver
Summary: When the inner and outer senshi were trying to find some ways to address some of their… professional differences, Usagi suggests a sleepover. It is the last time she ever chooses bonding activities.For spider-momo for Sailor Moon Gift Exchange 2020
Relationships: Inner Senshi & Outer Senshi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: 2020 Sailor Moon Holiday Gift Exchange





	Senshi Bonding 101 aka Why Usagi’s Not Allowed To Choose Bonding Exercises

**Author's Note:**

> For @spider-momo
> 
> Prompt: Sleepover

Michiru looked around at the immaculate room, the comfy couch that she never sat on, and the well-worn loveseat beside it, the TV anchored to the wall, and the coffee table pushed to the side.

She sighs.

“You know, we could have said no,” her lover came, clad in flannel pajamas she got in one of her international races.

She  _ wasss  _ tempted… but the light in Usagi’s eyes, and the hidden gleam that glowed in her sky’s own blue eyes when the princess brought forth this idea…

“No, it’s alright. It’s just one night after all,” she replied, a comforting smile on her face.

She would regret those words.

*****

Usagi was shaking with excitement as she and the rest of the inner senshi stood outside the outer’s house, snacks, makeup, and bags ready for the epic sleepover they’re going to have. Rei was shaking her head, her own bags and make-up ready to be used, Mako shifting a bit to make sure her bag full of items for baking, while Ami own over-night bag was relatively slim, with her pajamas, toiletries, and her change for the next day in it, with a sleeping bag and a fluffy pillow to support her head. A practical bag for an impractical evening.

Minako was, of course, standing in front of the door, her face wide in an almost demented grin as she started ringing, over and over again, her own backpack stuffed full of magazines and bows and movies and candy and all sorts of things that you’s need for the best sleepover ever.

The door creaks open to reveal a glaring Haruka, wearing checkerboard pj’s that make her look like someone out of a cheesy American Christmas movie.

“What took you so long?” the bowed blond asked as she walked past, Ami and Mako both giving an apology while Usagi walks in oblivious and Rei goes in to scold the offending blond.

This was going to be a looooooonnnng night.

*****

Everyone settled in nicely, or at least as much as they can, with most of them already in pj’s except for Mako, who’s baking up a storm, with brownies, spinach puff, and her signature cookies to join the treats she had already made at home including home-made steam buns and mochi filled with taro and red bean paste.

“Alright, what’s the first movie?” Minako asked as she looked around eagerly, movies fanned out like a card hand.

“Oo, oo, we should do Disney.”

“ _ No _ , bubble brain, we’re  _ not _ watching Disney… besides, there aren’t any in there.”

Ami was analyzing each film, trying to weigh the pros and cons from each feature when Mako stated a common link.

“They’re all american… and short.”

“Yeah, well,” Minako said, scratching her chin, “I want to watch some variety today and I figured it’d be better if we just watch something short and simple, right?”

Ami nodded. “That’s a logical solution. And I vote for Frankenstein.”

“Wait, what are you-” Minako asked, only to see that indeed there was Frankenstien.

“Huh, must have gotten mixed up with dad’s collection, Alright… anyone for this?”

“No,” Rei hissed.

“What? But it’s funnyyyyyy,” Minako whined as she shook the movie back and forth.

“It’s too gross.”

“Oh? And how would  _ you  _ know?”

Rei’s face grew red like an ember at the callout.

“I-I just do. So there,” she said as she crossed her arms, looking away from the vulgar movie.

“Alriiiight, how ‘bout this one?”

“I…’d rather not,” Mako stated, averting her eyes from the cover to  _ Airplane! _ .

“Why?” Minako asked with a pout.

“It- it’s not to my taste.”

“Yes,” Ami said, giving a squeeze to her unoccupied hand as she looks Minako in the eye, “I prefer Mel Brooks' later productions myself.”

“Ooo, that looks fun,” Usagi said, pulling out a DVD with a black lady with a big poofy afro on the cover, the title Coffy written in bright red letters.

“Usagi, that’s so-”

“You know,” Michiru interrupted, speaking for the first time tonight, “ _ I _ wouldn’t mind watching that.”

“-Aaa great idea,” Rei said as she gritted her teeth, wanting to look mature for the older girl.

They all nodded as they put the movie in, ready to be taken to the distant time of 1970’s Los Angeles, with a woman taking on criminal gangs to avenge her sister.

*****

While the movie played on in the background, the senshi did a makeover. Not a serious one of course, but one of who can make the most outrageous design on the other’s face. Haruka bowed out, getting wipes from the bathroom as they did so, Rei with Michiru, Ami with Mako, and the terrible duo hard at work, ready to take the crown for most extravagant piece, as they do a bracket style tournament of sorts.

They each worked hard, Michiru being just as skilled with the makeup brush as any other as she uses her mastery to paint flickering flames on Rei’s face, with Rei doing her best to make waves on Michiru’s. Meanwhile, Ami contorting Mako’s facial features with her adequate skills while Mako makes it seem like Ami’s entire face is covered in ice. As for Minako and Usagi… welllll…

“Bwahahahahahaha, you look like a clown,” Usagi laughed at the mess she made on Minako’s face.

“Well, I’m sure I’m the sexiest clown in the world,” Minako stated, ever sure of her looks shining through, “Now hold still, I want to get this  _ just  _ right,” she said as she angled Usagi’s brows, finishing of her drag queen-esque look.

They all then sat in a row as jive music played in the background, kicks and punches shown on the screen.

Haruka just sits there, acting as the unofficial judge of this contest.

She stares at the faces in front of her, judging them on their skills before knocking out Usagi and Ami, Usagi for the fact that one stood out  _ too much _ and the other didn’t stand out enough. They took their losses well, having everyone take a picture with their competitor before they wipe away all that work.

The next round had Michiru paired with Mako as Rei glared at Minako,  _ daring _ her to make her look as ridiculous as she was last round.

The two pairs went to work, with Usagi focusing on the screen while Ami brought out a book to read, one more at home in the classroom than something to read for pleasure.

The next round was relatively short, with Michiru again winning, little fishes on her face, but Mako not minding all the same and Rei glaring at Haruka for declaring Minako the winner, promising vengeance on the blond in the commemorative photo.

And so the stage is set in the makeup tournament, class vs crass, elegant artwork vs exaggeration portrayals, the sublime vs the silly, Michiru vs Minako.

Mako and Rei joined Usagi, cheering for each punch and kick, feeling kinship to a fiction character that they would have never met if she was real, while the battle rages on behind them, Haruka taking interest in the lotions and asking Ami for one, working the liquid between her fingers as they used the technical knowhow and developed skills to make the other stand out.

Usagi cheered as the credits rolled, popping in Ami’s choice before turning around, and seeing the done-up faces of the two warriors, both well-known for their beauty.

For Minako, Michiru used liberal gold colors to make almost 3-D hearts on her face, her lips in a gradient from gold, almost orange in the center to light yellow for the outer lip, with a shine to bring it together. Her eyes, on the other hand, were a sight to behold, blue eyeliner heavy on her lids that branches out into several swirl patterns out of the corner of her eye, a lovely pattern that is both a chaotic outlier and in perfect harmony with the rest of her face, with one even touching the edge of the hearts on her cheek, and her eyeshadow… it was a bright orange color that reminds one of summer and mangos and the setting sun on the horizon, a memory much befitting the jaunty warrior of love. Overall, it was a work of art that anyone would pay to have for themselves.

Minako on the other hand, did nothing by halves and this was no exception. She used her skilled to exaggerate the features already there, taking her unintended theme of drag makeup all the way to the end, Michiru’s cheekbones highlighted with a sea-green blue that catches the eye no matter your understanding of such, her lashes twice the length with a darker blue spilling out of her eye area to flow down the color gradually changing to a lighter color, until soon it was a clear blue like most people think the sea is, with her lips as green as kelp, with subtle gray for contouring to remind one of a cloudy sea. Something that  _ should _ look ridiculous, and in a way is, but also fierce and artistic and had, in a way, captured the essence of Michiru better than what Michiru did to her own face.

In short, it was a hard choice either way and Haruka wanted no part in the fallout from the loser of this round. Between her lover and her new potential friend, there was no winner for her no matter what.

So she chickened out and decided everyone should vote this round, and immediately voted for Michiru (even though she actually like Minako’s work better). Rei, out of spite, chose Michiru and well, while Usagi and Mako went instantly on team Minako. Which left Ami as the undecided vote.

She looked up from her book to see all eyes on her. Her face grew red from all the attention, her eyes wide as they darted from each face, the expectations and pressure growing around her, 

She tried to shrink into a ball, hoping that would get their attention off her.

It did not work.

Finally she just pointed at Michiru’s face, a frown maring her elegant features as she lost, with Minako cackling in the background, reveling in her victory.

Ami slowly uncurled, getting the wipes as they had one last picture for the evening, Minako’s hand in a V-pose as she stuck her tongue out.

Michiru was still pouting, disappointed but not doing much more than that.

And so they started cleaning up, putting on lotions and face masks and finally getting out the nail polish.

“Oh, this is nice, where’d you get it from,” Haruka asked as she spread the scented lotion on her skin. She was never one for make-up, even just using cheap chapstick when the weather’s cold, but she alway had a soft spot for lotions, candles, and other skin care products that could be scented.

“Oh, they’re from  _ Beauty _ Quartetto, a local store,” Usagi cheerfully replied, ready to gush on the items that the reformed Ayakashi sisters made even after their… less than pleasant history. She was in her reliable pink bunny pj’s, her hair down from her signature buns as Minako and Rei each braid a side, putting a tie in when they wanted to take a break from the monstrus task.

“Mhm, it seems you have a knack for finding such interesting places,” Michiru added, looking elegant in a nighty, painting Ami’s nails with the Quartetto polish.

“Here it is,” the lightning wielding senshi says as she passes out some juice, brownies, and popcorn before going to get her own sleepwear on.

“Thank you, but I really don’t think we should be eating so late. It’s almost 9,” Ami piped in her powder blue gown that looks like from a century before.

And suddenly, Minako’s eyes widened as she scrambled to the TV, knocking over the popcorn bowl.

“Oh wait, we need to change the channel,” Minako yells as she stops the movie (which most of them weren’t even watching) to some broadcast of teens playing card games.

“...Is this real?” Mako asked as the finals for the tournament that Minako wanted to watch plays on, the images looking less like card games and more like a showdown  _ they  _ had.

“Yeah, I mean, the game’s pretty popular  _ because _ all the holograms used to make the monsters fight in real life. None of it’s real,” Minako waved off the thought, staring at the pretty boys and the pretty boy monsters out in play.

“Really? Like how the Black Moon Circus wasn’t real? Or the explosion in Tokyo? Or the guy straight out of a Sentai threatening the city for-” Rei started before she got a pillow to the face.

“That’s not the same and  _ you  _ know it.”

Soon there was bickering. Much bickering. With pillows and popcorn for emphasis.

Michiru, more to stop the arguments more then anything, takes out her mirror and flashes it on the screen.

The image stays the same, with the two duelist fighting on with shadowy figures behind them, pieces of their bodies missing.

“W-what was that?” Ami asked.

“A- a reflection technique. One that reveals the truth. No matter the distance or technology,” she somehow got out, the implications of the unchanging image chilling the rest of the room.

“Oh no, we have to do something,” Usagi shouted, going out and being the hero like she is, wanting to save them from this twisted game.

“There is no need,” Setsuna, emerging from whatever task she had been doing.

“But whyyyyyyy?”

“Because there have been more defenders of the earth besides the Senshi, and the Pharaoh deserves the chance to prove himself to the god cards.”

“What?!?!”

The time guardian then goes on to explain the history of the item, how a dark entity manipulated the lone survivor into being it’s host/avatar, and how the pharaoh (who’s barely older then they are now) sacrificed himself to seal the wicked being, and how the current wielder of the puzzle is working with his friends to regain his memories, which will eventually allow him to enter the afterlife, leaving friends he made in this modern era behind.

“That’s so sad,” Usagi sniffed at the tragic tale, how both he and the thief had lost so much, and then he’s going to leave his friends behind.

She stood up, focusing the silver crystal in her body out as she looks at the screen to the pharaoh and the friend who saved him from his imprisonment.

She then focuses all her energy into her wish, that they would be free from the fate they were pushed into, free to live and laugh and love without the strings from the past tying them down.

There were shouts on the screen as a glow covered over three bodies, bright pure light that blinds everyone on screen, until there were three new bodies in the area.

Usagi collapsed, drained from all the energy that she just used, fast asleep on the covering of sleeping bags already there.

Setsuna leaves to go tell the gods that they are going to have to wait a while to see their prodigal son and the one who was trapped for so long in the shadows in the realm of the dead… and explain how a coping mechanism was given a life of its own. She brings a plate of Makoto Kino’s signature cookies with her, hoping they would be a fitting peace offering.

“Sooooo,  _ that  _ happened.”

The others nodded.

They look to each other at the awkward, out of this world situation, as they try to wrap around the fact that Usagi just literally resurrected some ancient spirits because she felt sorry for them.

“So, who wants to play some game?” Minako shouted with a big fake grin as she tried to lighten things up.

She tried to go for the regular slumber party games as Usagi sleeps off her reckless use of magic, suggesting truth or dare (“Pass”), Bloody Mary (“Do you  _ want  _ to fight a spirit now?”) spin the bottle (“Well, I’m up for a little action, if that’s what you want.” “ _ Oh _ ? And if  _ I  _ get to kiss you.” “Then fate brings us together even in games of chance.”), before finally settling on something, two truths and a lie.

“Soooo, who wants to go first?” the warrior of love asked the rest of the senshi.

No one said anything, each of them glancing at the other as they tried to will someone else to start, not quite sure that they’d want to reveal so much to the others.

Static and Usagi snores were the only sound in the room, before Michiru clicked close her compact mirror and made her presence known.

“I suppose I’ll go then. Alright,” Michiru starts, somehow looking dignified even with a face mask on and a soda in hand, “ I have webbed feet, I have a younger brother, and I once spent a summer in Las Vegas. And no, Haruka,” a boop to the nose, “You can’t answer.”

The rest of them puzzled for a bit before Ami said with certainty.

“It’s the webbed feet. That’s the lie.”

“What, really? I thought it’d be the brother thing,” Minako said, playing with the drawstring of her orange and blue polkadot pj’s.

“I was thinking the Vegas thing myself,” Mako added, her long shirt and sleep shorts worn but well-cared for.

“Well obviously it’s the webbed feet, I mean we've seen her at the pool before,” Rei argued, not wanting to admit that she thought it was the brother that’s the lie.

“Correct, Ami.”

“Oh, you have a brother? Is he cute?” Minako changed topics, fluttering her eyes.

“Well,” she sipped, thinking of the temperamental, insecure boy he was before father left him at his boarding school, “He’s something.”

“Oo, me next, me next,” Minako waved around, to which the majority of the group nodded, ”Alright so for meeeee, I spent a year in London, I dye my hair, anddddd I once dated two bad guys in disguise.”

She then gave a devious grin at the rest of the group, excited to see them fail.

They all looked at each other before turning to her.

“Dye job.”

Her cheeks puffed up as she huffed at them.

“Fine. Lets see  _ you  _ do better,” she hissed in mock indignation as she 

Rei’s eyes narrowed, “Gladly.”

She then took a deep breath, moving around until her legs were underneath her before she started.

“The three facts I will say are two true and one lie, but it is up to you to decide. Now, My favorite flowers are lilies, my grandfather was once turned into a youma, and my mother and grandmother died from the same disease.”

Silence reigned as they tried to puzzle it out, except Ami, who was focused on her book, trying to find the lie, before Mako snapped her fingers.

“It’s the mom and grandma one. I remember you talking about the lilies before and I was around when all those crystal guys were gathered together again.”

“ _ Sigh _ , yeah, I forgot that you were there for that. So who’s next?”

Haruka gave a shrug of her shoulders before leaning forward, “I guess I’ll go, to mix things up a bit. Soooo, I know how to play piano, I have a cousin I’m not supposed to talk about, andddd I drove my first car at thirteen.” She finished with finger guns.

“Wait, you have a cousin?” Minako shouted.

“No you bubble brain, that’s the lie. Right?” Rei looked towards the older senshi with a gleam in her eyes.

A gleam that was dashed when Haruka shook her head, “Now, now, that’d be telling.”

Michiru, who already knew which were true, went up and got herself some tea and cookies, while Ami absently guessed the first was false.

Mako scratched her chin as she spoke, “Well, I guess all of them are a  _ bit  _ off character for you, but I’m going to go with my gut and say that you  _ weren’t _ driving around at thirteen.”

“Oo, oo, I’ll go with Mako, I’ve got a feeling she’s right.”

“You sure? Last chance~” she teased, but none of them changed their answers, “Alright… the blond and brunette are correct. I  _ didn’t _ start driving at thirteen… it was more like ten. In go cart races.”

“Wait, why do you have a cousin you don’t talk about?” Ami piped up, putting her book to the side.

“Hehe, funny thing. Both my mom and aunt moved here from Germany, near Munich if I remember correctly, and they both ended up together with Japanese guy. Well, there was something funky that happen when my aunt had my cousin and she kind of had a mental breakdown. Apparently the family doctor also knows hypnosis, so she had her memories suppressed about her son, and then had a daughter after the fact.”

“Wait, so she was  _ forced _ to forget her kid?” Rei hissed.

“No, she  _ wanted  _ to forget him. And her dear husband basically forced him to live with other relatives for extra measures,” Haruka huffed, “And it sucks because Momo, that’s my baby cousin’s name, really wants to know about him but they never say anything because it’s “too much for her”. Yeah, right,” she dismissed, before a smirk formed on her face, “Well, I promised I wouldn’t  _ say _ anything, but there’s nothing I can do if she just so happens to find some old photos and stuff I have lying around. And Momo’s smarter than they think. Hehehe, wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall when she stops sneaking around and starts being direct.”

And the younger senshi marvels at the petty side of Haruka, a side Michiru knows well, especially since she enjoys using it against her younger brother so often.

Mako gave a chuckle before scooting forward, “O.K, looks like I’m up next. So... the three things I’ll tell are One, I got my rose earring from my mom, Two, I once flew to China, and three, I once fought a blue girl that’s almost like a youma, except not really all that much, it only seemed to fight people that, you know, put up a fight, if that makes sense.”

It seems like the most honest of the Senshi is the one who stumped the group, because the blue girl  _ seems _ like the obvious lie except, well their life, shows that it could very well be true, and Mako traveling to China would explain her good cooking skills… but she’s also the type who would keep her mother’s earrings and wear them all the time.

In the end everyone chose what they thought best, with Rei and Michiru going with the flight, Haruka and Minako on the earrings, and Ami choosing the most out-there one.

Mako grinned at the spilt before she revealed her answer.

“Look like Rei and Michiru’ve got better instincts than the rest of you, Boom,” she punched her fists in excitement in tricking the smartest of the group.

“Really?” Minako asked as Ami jolted down the odd occurrence, along with the supernatural card game and the memory suppression that Haruka’s aunt had.

“Yeah,” she said before scratching her head, “Actually, I’m not so great with planes in general.”

“And why’s that?”

She turned to the side, her eyes somber as she spoke.

“My parents died in a plane crash.”

Everyone looked away, not wanting to dig into that old wound. There were sips and crunches as they chowed down on the sweets, not knowing what to say to the taller girl. It was like that for what felt like eternity, until someone popped the tension bubble.

“Alrightly,” Minako shouts, trying to lighten things up, “How about we get to the last person, right Ami?”

They all then turned to Ami, the only one still conscious who had yet to go.

The warrior of wisdom's cheeks grew red at all the attention.

“What?” she muttered.

“It’s your turn, Ami.”

“But, but,” she stuttered at all the attention before she sighed.

“Alright, but know I’m not good at this sort of thing.”

She straightened up, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, before exhaling, giving a small nod before opening them again.

“My facts are that I hate gym, I was 25 in the Three Lights Fan Club, and my father once claimed he was turned into a seal.”

Ami then sipped her tea as the others thought about their answer, before Michiru chimed in much like Ami did in her turn.

“I believe that the notion that you would ever hate a class is a lie, even a class that has nothing to do with your strengths.”

Mako nods, “ Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“Mmhm,” Minako and Rei nod in unison at that, with Haruka the only one doubtful of it’s validity.

“Really? Because I find the seal thing the weirdest. I mean, people don’t just turn into animals like that,” she illustrated with a snap.

“Yes,” Ami nodded, “ But considering everything we learned, the claim doesn’t seem so far fetched here, especially with the dangerous activities going on under our  _ own _ noses. And it seems, Haruka,  _ you _ are the only one who chose wrong this turn.”

Haruka gave a chuckle as the others cheered, before clearing her throat,” So, where  _ did _ your dad turn into a seal? Kyoto? Hokkaido? Mei?”

“Germany actually. A fairly nondescript town that somehow had various people claim that they were turned into various animals, including eels, anteaters, goats, and even hippos. They also claimed that they were turned into raven-like creatures by the Raven King, and were rescued by a duck who turned into a swan. At least that’s what my father told me in the letter he sent,” Ami answered as she brought it out, the letter illustrating the tale of where he was… which was sent while  _ they  _ were dealing with Pharaoh 90.

They sighed at that, not sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that they didn’t know about this.

“So,” Minako chirped as she brought out something from her bag, “Who’s up for cards?”

*****

The card games they played were full of speed, skill, and the ability to bullshit their way out of a situation that caused sparks, fires, mini tornadoes, and at least three vases to be broken. (Coincidentally, those were pieces that Michiru was sent by pushy, infatuated brats that felt just because they could pay for someone else to make pottery to gain the painters favor.)

It also caused the couch to break, which Michiru  _ did _ care about.

When it was the next morning and Mako was up baking a five-star breakfast for the lot of them, Michiru made a promise as she was sipping her tea to  _ never _ host a slumber party with them again.

*****

Several Months later, on Christmas Eve, Mako finds her little mailbox stuffed with exotic spices, flowy scarfs, random papers in some kind of foreign writing style, and a tiny cat statue, regal with all too realistic eyes. And for the rest of her days, her residence has never had a vermin problem.

**Author's Note:**

> My thoughts on Usagi is she is verrryyyyy powerful and verrryyyyy stupid. Like, she can do so much but she just can’t think on that big of a scale. (granted, most people can’t.) So I can easily see her essentially bringing back people from the dead if she’s emotionally invested enough. (AKA Usagi does a Yami-separate-body thing and I have no regrets.)
> 
> Fun fact: There are many references to different anime here (besides the Yu-gi-oh one I just mentioned). Now, guess which series are referenced and, more importantly, what is the common trait they all have.


End file.
